KAMPALA, UGANDA – Uganda has officially launched the Avocado Roadmap and Platform, a strategic initiative aimed at expanding the country’s avocado value chain and tapping into growing regional and global markets.
The event, attended by the Mr. Byantwale T. Stephen representing the Honorable Minister of State for Agriculture Fred Bwino Kyagulaga, marks a significant milestone for Uganda’s agricultural sector, signalling the potential for economic growth, job creation, and enhanced livelihoods, particularly for youth.
This initiative became possible with support from the International Trade Centre (ITC) through the European Union (EU)-funded EU-East African Community (EAC) Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP II).
Uganda’s favorable agro-climatic conditions make it ideal for year-round cultivation of Hass avocados, positioning the country as a promising player in the global supply chain. With international demand for Hass avocados on the rise, Uganda has a valuable opportunity to expand its agricultural exports and boost economic growth.
In 2023, Uganda exported $5.1 million worth of avocados, primarily to the Middle East, marking an impressive start to the sector’s commercial growth. In 2024, the country shipped its first containers of Hass avocados to the EU, signalling both strong growth potential and increasing interest from global partners.
Beyond fresh fruit exports, Uganda also produces avocado oil, which recently entered the EU market. Currently, five major oil-processing facilities operate in the country, using both local avocado varieties and reject-grade Hass avocados. While local varieties have an oil content of 3.5%–7%, Hass avocados yield around 10%, making them more efficient for oil extraction.
Together, these facilities process 63,000 tonnes of fresh avocados annually, producing approximately 2.5 million kilograms of crude avocado oil—contributing significantly to local value addition and agro-industrial development.
However, as the industry matures, challenges remain, particularly in scaling production, enhancing market access, and building infrastructure. Realizing Uganda’s full avocado export potential requires concerted effort at the political, institutional, cultural and community levels.
The newly launched Avocado Roadmap is designed to address these challenges through a coordinated approach, leveraging the strengths of both the public and private sectors.
Key strategic priorities highlighted in the Roadmap include:
Enhancing production capacity: improving farming techniques, increasing access to quality planting materials, and offering technical support to ensure consistent and sustainable supply.
Strengthening market access: helping farmers meet international standards for quality, safety, and certification to expand export opportunities.
Developing infrastructure: investing in cold chain systems, storage facilities, and transportation to reduce post-harvest losses and improve efficiency.
Fostering collaboration: strengthening partnerships between government, private sector, and development partners to create a unified approach to sector development.
Public-Private Collaboration: A Pillar of Growth
The launch event underscored the vital role of public-private collaboration in driving the sector forward. Mr. Byantwale T. Stephen representing the Honorable Minister of State for Agriculture Fred Bwino Kyagulaga, Fred Bwino Kyagulaga, emphasized the government’s commitment to the industry:
“The avocado industry is a priority under Uganda’s Agro-Industrialization Programme. We are focused on creating a thriving avocado value chain that contributes to job creation and economic growth, particularly for our youth.”
Additionally, Fred Zake, Executive Director of HortiFresh expressed strong support for the initiative:
“The Avocado Roadmap and Platform is a critical step toward unlocking Uganda’s potential as an important leader in avocado production. By working together, the public and private sectors can overcome challenges and create lasting value for farmers and the economy,” stated the Executive Director of HortiFresh.
Avocado Sector Platform launch with established Secretariat
Following a competitive selection process, HortiFresh has been appointed as the Secretariat of the Avocado Sector Platform. HortiFresh will play a central role in coordinating efforts, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring the effective implementation of the roadmap’s goals. The performance of the organization selected by MAAIF to serve as Secretariat will be assessed every 3 years and a new Secretariat can be appointed by the Ministry. At present, a budget for the Secretariat is being developed, and funding possibilities explored.
The launch of the Avocado Roadmap and Platform is a vital step in shaping Uganda’s future as an important producer of avocados. With strong public-private collaboration, targeted investments, and strategic development, Uganda is well-positioned to meet global demand and significantly enhance its avocado value chain.
About EU-EAC MARKUP II
The European Union (EU)- East African Community (EAC) MARKUP II funded by the EU, aims to enhance economic development in the EAC through sustainable intra-African and EU-Africa trade.
Focused on improving livelihoods, employment, and export competitiveness for MSMEs, the programme supports the development of key export-oriented value chains as well institutional support in the six MARKUP II EAC recipient partner countries.
EU-EAC MARKUP II is promoting exports and investment through addressing trade barriers, value addition, quality compliance, trade facilitation and technology transfer.
EU-EAC MARKUP II is implemented by the International Trade Centre in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat and national partners in the recipient countries.
About the International Trade Centre – ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.
ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
